Coupling device



Jan. 29, 1946. Y M R-UDNlCK 2,393,657

COUPLING DEVICE Filed 0G12. 25, 1943 me/wim@ Patented Jan. 29, 1946`UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE COUPLING DEVICE Herbert Rudnick, Gray, IowaApplication October 25, 1943, Serial No.'507,587

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a coupler especially adapted for hitching awagon or like vehicle to a corn picker for movement therewith and forreceiving the corn as discharged from the picker, and has for theprimary object the provision of a device of this character which willpermit the wagon to be easily and quickly coupled and uncoupled from thepicker and may be remotelyu actuated by a person on the picker wheneverit is desired to release the wagon from the picker.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a couplerconstructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating the device.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional 4 view illustrating theinterior workings of the coupler.

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating one of the couplingelements.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates afragmentary portion of a draft tongue of a wagon or similar vehicle andto which are secured elongated plates B by bolts or fasteners 1. Theplates protrude beyond the free end of the draft tongue in divergingrelation to each other and are apertured to receive a pin or bolt 8forming one of the elements of the coupler.

A portion of a corn picker is indicated by the character 9 and thisportion is of an elongated box-like construction. In order that saidpart 9 may form a part of the coupler or the present invention, an endthereof has opposite Walls cut into substantially V shape formation, asshown at I0, for the purpose of slidably receiving the pin or bolt 8between the elongated plates 6. 'I'he lower wall of the box-likeconstruction is slightly longer than the top wall and is curveddownwardly to form a tongue or guide element II for directing the pin orbolt B into the cutout portions I0 as the draft tongue approaches thebox-like construction.

A latch member I2 is pivotally mounted in the box-like construction, asshown at I3, and includes a bill -portion Il. Interposed between the topwall of the box-like construction and the latch member I2 is a, coilspring `I5 acting to urge the bill portion in the direction of thetongue or guide element Il. As the bolt moves over the tongue or guideelement toward the inner ends .of the cutout portions I Il the latchelement I2 is caused to swing upwardly so that the bolt or pin 8 maybecome engaged within the bill shaped portion, as clearly shown inFigure 3, thereby establishing a pivotal connection between the drafttongue and the corn picker.

Integral with the bill portion I4 of the latch member I2 is an arm I6curved to extend upwardly and outwardly of the box-like structure andhas fastened thereto a flexible element I1 which may extend to theoperator of the corn picker so that the operator at any time may impartan upward pivotal movement to the latch member to bring aboutdisengagement of the bill portion from the pin or bolt 8 therebydisconnecting the wagon or vehicle from the picker.

To prevent displacement of the spring I5, a pin I8 is formed on thelatch element to enter one end of the spring while a pin I9 is carriedby the top wall of the box-like construction and enters the other end ofthe spring.

While I have heretofore stated that the boxlike construction is a partof a corn picker, it is to be understood that it may be a separable parttherefrom and be detachably secured thereto in any well known manner.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be under- Stood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe Spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In a coupler, a coupling pin, elongated plates connecting said pin to adraft tongue of a vehicle, a box-like construction secured to a towingvehicle and having opposite walls from one end thereof cut away insubstantially V-shaped formation, the lower wall of said V-shapedformation comprising an elongated, downwardly curved, guide finger fordirecting said pin into the cutout portions of said box-likeconstruction, a latch element having one end pivoted in said box-likeconstruction and having a, hook formed on its under side intermediateits ends adapted to engage said pin, a spring acting 0n said latch tourge the hook into engagement with said guide finger, an elongated,curved arm on said latch, said arm projecting upwardly and outwardlyfrom said hook and upwardly and outwardly from said guide finger, and aremotely operated means connected with said arm.

HERBERT RUDNICK.

